by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
What has been one of the most successful box office surprises in recent memory? The world of anime. There have been a few anime films to hit America shores that have blown up at the box office. Demon Slayer ripped open the opening weekend (in the middle of the pandemic) with over $20 million. Anime has a huge market in America with fans all around who cosplay, go to conventions, and binge tons of serious over plenty of different streaming platforms. Some series become huge hits and sprout film franchises, from Pokemon to Dragon Ball to My Hero Academia. The latest in this string of hits comes from the world of Jujutsu Kaisen.
What does Jujutsu Kaisen 0 offer up for this popular franchise? This is a world of cursed spirits where individuals connect with them and let their powers run through them. The Jujutsu Sorcerers hunt down dangerous Curses that will cause grave harm. This new film takes viewers on a prequel journey about one young man, Yuta, who has a tragic backstory and an emotional connection to one powerful Curse. Yuta finds his way to Jujutsu High School and must learn the ways of Jujutsu Sorcerers from the likes of Panda, Maki Zenin, and Toge Inumaki. Yuta’s journey is education until the evil Suguru Geto invades to take Yuta’s Curse, Rika, by force. What ensues is an action-packed war between whatever sorcerers who can step up and a flood of Curses coming to do Geto’s evil bidding of wiping out all non-sorcerers.
But does director Seong-Hu Park deliver on this impressive and exciting premise? First off, this is a gorgeous film. From the opening shots, you see a breathtaking sunset reflected in water on the ground. From that moment, you know you are in for a visual treat. There is a lot of build throughout the film with the narrative taking its time to reach the climax. This might alienate some who are hoping for more consistent action. But when the action does come… you will not be disappointed. These big sorcerer and Curse battles are impressively rendered, full of energy, and build plenty of tension to keep you on the edge of your seat. There are so many different designs with so many different abilities, and the film offers up plenty of action with great variety.
What about the story? The story of Yuta is jam-packed with emotion. His tragic loss leads to his connection with the powerful Rika. This adds weight and meaning to their connection and they work together in defense of the Jujutsu school. There will certainly be some scenes that connect with the audience in an emotional way. There might be some odd and strange feels rendered between Yuta and Rika in the third act (I honestly cringed a bit), but their deep connection does anchor the film. Then you have Geto, who has his own baggage and motivations for his nefarious actions. You see some serious humanity in Geto through his motivations for his mission as well as the friendship that he shares with a sorcerer. Then you have the mentor relationships that grow between Yuta and the Jujutsu High School crew of sorcerers.
Is this a new anime prequel worth seeing on the biggest screen possible? Park makes the most of the concept to offer up plenty of big bold action which will thrill and excite you. There is also plenty of emotion to feel along the way. Jujutsu Kaisen 0 is an exciting new flick that is worth experiencing, even if you are unaware of anything else in the franchise like I was.
Score: 7/10
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